Architectural coverings for architectural features, including openings (e.g., windows, doors, archways, and the like) have taken numerous forms for many years. Many architectural coverings include a retractable shade movable between an extended position and a retracted position. A retractable shade may include one or more components configured for selective extension and retraction relative to an architectural feature. In some instances, the retractable shade may include one or more sheets of flexible material configured to be selectively extended and retracted relative to an architectural feature by being wound around a rotating member or being gathered to one side of an architectural feature, such as against a head rail. The horizontal member from which the shade is deployed is mounted to the support structure defining the architectural feature by being attached at each end to a respective stationary structure (such as a mounting bracket). The covering may be positioned within a housing, which extends between the stationary structures.
Since the structure surrounding an architectural feature to which the covering is attached may take many forms, the mounting of the covering may be challenging. This is especially the case where the mounting brackets may need to be coupled to a ceiling to extend downward, or coupled to a wall to extend forwardly. Regardless of the orientation of the mounting brackets, the shade must then be coupled to the mounting brackets so as to extend and retract relative to the architectural feature. Such coupling of the shade to the mounting brackets often necessitates exact alignment of the shade with each bracket and/or complex retention methods for retaining the shade relative to the bracket. What is needed in the art is a mounting assembly that simplifies the installation process and/or allows for quick and easy adjustments to be made to accommodate misalignments and/or to decouple the shade from the brackets.
Additionally, to accommodate for the variety of mounting orientations for shades, many different mounting brackets and associated hardware may be required. In some situations, further variety of brackets may be required due to different shade types requiring the use of different mounting brackets because of varying vertical drop, width, and shade styles. What is needed in the art is a modular mounting assembly that, individually or in any combination, allows coverings of different shapes and styles to be mounted to various structures, and that utilizes components and mounting brackets having shared components to allow replacement, and/or to facilitate a reduction of a total number of components.
Moreover, the light gap formed between the outer vertical edge of the mounting bracket and the outer vertical edge of the extended sheet of the shade should be kept relatively small to inhibit unacceptable amounts of light passing around the edges of the shade when extended over the architectural feature. The mounting assemblies attaching each of the ends of the horizontal member to which the shade is attached to mounting brackets is a primary source of the light gap. Additionally, the inclusion of a drive unit for assisting in the extension and retraction of the shade also affects the size of the light gap because components of the drive unit, such as the electrical or transmission components, are at least partially positioned on or near an inner surface of the mounting bracket, thereby limiting the width dimension of the retractable shade and resulting in an unacceptable light gap along the vertical edges of the covering. What is needed in the art is a standardized mounting assembly that allows for a reduced light gap.
The present disclosure is at least partially directed to an improved mounting assembly that alleviates at least to a certain extent one or more of the aforementioned problems.